EVALUATION OF TRICHODERMA HARZIANUM IN CONTROLLING LATE BLIGHT OF POTATO

Abstract

Evaluation of Trichoderma harzianum in reducing mycelial growth of Phytophthora infestans as well as in controlling late blight of potato was done in Microbiology and Biocontrol laboratory and Net-house, Department of Plant Pathology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during 2019-2020, Bangladesh. The experiment was conducted using popular potato variety Diamant and native variety Challisha. T. harzianum was evaluated in net-house and in-vitro condition. Fungicide Indofil M-45 (Mancozeb) was used as positive check for comparison. In Net-house experiment, T. harzianum increased plant height, number of tubers and fresh weight of tubers over control treatment for the both of the varieties of potato. T. harzianum on late blight of potato (var. Diamant) showed a significantly better management over control treatment. In comparison to non-treated control treatment, reduced infection of late blight was found in the T.harzianum treated plants, whereas increase disease severity was calculated in control treatment. After harvesting, tuber infection in T. harzianum treated plants was not observed. Percent inhibition of tuber infection over control was 100%. Indofil M-45 suppressed Disease severity but comparatively less effective than T. harzianum in the long run. In case of variety Challisha similar trend of results were observed. In dual culture assay, T. harzianum showed highest inhibitory effect in suppressing mycelial growth of P. infestans. T. harzianum showed 86.67% inhibition of mycelial growth of P. infestans over control. Thus, it can be concluded that T. harzianum is effective to control late blight of potato and sometimes comparable to chemical fungicide in net-house condition.